News & views from the American Coalition for Ethanol.

August 12, 2009

Jennings calls for determination, optimism in conference address

The 22nd Annual American Coalition for Ethanol Conference & Trade Show continued with comments from ACE leadership. After a short speech from ACE President Brian Wilcox, ACE Executive Vice President Brian Jennings updated conference attendees on the progress the ethanol industry has made in the past year while also highlighting work yet to be done.

Jennings stated that Americans cannot afford to cling to the past and hope for a new result on the same old energy strategies, but rather that our nation must "leave oil before it leaves us." Jennings stressed the need to move away from short-term stressors toward accomplishing long-term goals, and that these goals can only be realized with teamwork.

"No one single person, no one single organization, no one single company has a monopoly on good ideas," Jennings said. "Instead of focusing on our differences of opinion, we must focus on our common ideas. Only we can defeat ourselves."

Jennings also referred to the ethanol industry's mission as "a marathon campaign to change the status quo." In pushing for a move to make gasoline, not biofuels, the alternative fuel, Jennings states that change of this magnitude must not and cannot begin in Washington, but with people who see the value and the importance of ethanol and are determined enough to call their representatives, to write to their senators and to make political contributions.

Jennings also cited 6 opportunities for the ethanol industry to return to optimism and leave the pessimists behind:

1. Policymakers actually understand and believe in the power of the ethanol industry to change America's energy strategy, and are willing to make the changes needed to make gasoline the alternative fuel.2. Support for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is not wavering.3. The age of easy oil is over, but corn ethanol is growing more efficient as new technologies develop.4. Not only does President Obama support ethanol, but he has vocalized and displayed his support for the ethanol we have today (corn ethanol), and the ethanol of the future (cellulosic ethanol and other modes of advanced technology).5. Science supports a move to blends higher than E10, and a move to higher blends is not a matter of "if," but a matter of "when."6. Blender pumps function as the future of infrastructure, which is why ACE has joined with the Renewable Fuels Association and key Corn Growers Associations to embark on an unprecedented campaign to bring 5,000 blender pumps to America in three years.

While Jennings recognized that ethanol is not a perfect fuel, no fuel is, and much is to be accomplished by tackling the tasks before us and focusing on the "we" instead of the "me."

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Jennings calls for determination, optimism in conference address

The 22nd Annual American Coalition for Ethanol Conference & Trade Show continued with comments from ACE leadership. After a short speech from ACE President Brian Wilcox, ACE Executive Vice President Brian Jennings updated conference attendees on the progress the ethanol industry has made in the past year while also highlighting work yet to be done.

Jennings stated that Americans cannot afford to cling to the past and hope for a new result on the same old energy strategies, but rather that our nation must "leave oil before it leaves us." Jennings stressed the need to move away from short-term stressors toward accomplishing long-term goals, and that these goals can only be realized with teamwork.

"No one single person, no one single organization, no one single company has a monopoly on good ideas," Jennings said. "Instead of focusing on our differences of opinion, we must focus on our common ideas. Only we can defeat ourselves."

Jennings also referred to the ethanol industry's mission as "a marathon campaign to change the status quo." In pushing for a move to make gasoline, not biofuels, the alternative fuel, Jennings states that change of this magnitude must not and cannot begin in Washington, but with people who see the value and the importance of ethanol and are determined enough to call their representatives, to write to their senators and to make political contributions.

Jennings also cited 6 opportunities for the ethanol industry to return to optimism and leave the pessimists behind:

1. Policymakers actually understand and believe in the power of the ethanol industry to change America's energy strategy, and are willing to make the changes needed to make gasoline the alternative fuel.2. Support for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is not wavering.3. The age of easy oil is over, but corn ethanol is growing more efficient as new technologies develop.4. Not only does President Obama support ethanol, but he has vocalized and displayed his support for the ethanol we have today (corn ethanol), and the ethanol of the future (cellulosic ethanol and other modes of advanced technology).5. Science supports a move to blends higher than E10, and a move to higher blends is not a matter of "if," but a matter of "when."6. Blender pumps function as the future of infrastructure, which is why ACE has joined with the Renewable Fuels Association and key Corn Growers Associations to embark on an unprecedented campaign to bring 5,000 blender pumps to America in three years.

While Jennings recognized that ethanol is not a perfect fuel, no fuel is, and much is to be accomplished by tackling the tasks before us and focusing on the "we" instead of the "me."